I Took The Plunge! Received The Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 Vaccine Yesterday!

Hello Everyone! I have been going back and forth in my head about getting the Covid-19 vaccine. I have been trying to discern the pros vs cons of getting the shot in my arm. I had many questions to sort through before pulling the trigger on the task. Do I ride it out until I absolutely have to? Do I just get it over with? Am I really legally required to do this in the short or long term? What liberties are going to be taken away by not doing it in the future? If I wait till the last minute, will I run into a conflict where one event hinges on getting the vaccine? Do I get Pfizer? Moderna? Johnson & Johnson? Any new and improved vaccines to wait on their release? What are the side effects? Can I get cancer at a later date from this shot? Will this shot effect my hormones? Does this mean that I am subjected to now getting booster shots each year? How will this impact my immune system? I am very glad that I do not have to worry myself with pregnancy concerns. I hope you have weighed out, to the same degree or more, the pros vs cons of getting the vaccine? I have not been absorbing daily news reports or mass quantities of social media within the past year. This is due to the negative energy and chaos that stemmed from the recent U.S. presidential campaign and the ongoing global pandemic. I often believe that the media is designed to instill fear in your heart. When you are in constant fear or chaos, you keep watching various forms of media. While you keep seeking information, they earn revenue from you absorbing the commercials. I am not believing the conspiracy theories regarding Bill Gates injecting us with some form of eugenics serum. In this day and age, it is really hard to find unbiased news. I just want it delivered with zero opinions like the olden days. Part of me REALLY didn't want to even bother getting the shot! I have been rather anti-social the past year since I REALLY didn't want any part of getting sick either! I spent Thanksgiving solo due to family members becoming afflicted by Covid-19. Once I hear of a casualty amongst friends and/or family, I keep my distance for a period of time. The usual festivities for Christmas were not the same either. All in all, I made the best of the situation. It is one thing to endure this on a social level. It is another thing when this pandemic effects your health. The stress of this global pandemic, in the spring of 2020, actually showed up in my bloodwork. My doctor said to me that she didn't know what kind of stress I was under. She then said that I need to remove myself from it. If I didn't, I was heading towards a stroke or heart attack. Of course this bit of medical news did put fear in my heart. I really took on the stress of getting the required PPE for my electrical shop I worked for here in New York City as an essential worker. Between a coworker and I, we combed many various stores, throughout New York City, trying desperately to get the PPE that was required for the entire crew of men and women. Each time I went to the store, I was only able to get a limited amount of items. Only a few other people opted to get in on helping to acquire the PPE. I found that the stress of acquiring PPE while others sat back doing nothing to be a very frustrating!! There was a threat of shutting down jobsites for not having proper PPE onsite. I took on this threat very seriously!! I often spent a tremendous amount of my own personal time trying to acquire it. In hindsight, I do not truly feel like my efforts were fully recognized in a proper way. I have learned, to my frustration, that there are many lazy people who walk the Earth. I have worked with many of these lazy folks- LOL. They often rely, if they can get away with it, on the motivated co-workers for the bulk of the tasks to be completed. I have to figure how to fall back, be kind to myself, and not be so eager to take care of things. The good thing is I have more years accomplished than what is needed to retire. I am relieved to have moved on from that moment in time and only now reflect. Anyone who has shared with me that they went to get an appointment, it has been an absolute nightmare! They told me that it was super difficult to make the appointment since the appointment portal kept saying that there were "no appointments available". One of my close friends was not able to get an appointment until May. That same friend was then able to get the appointment a month earlier after rigorously searching. Meanwhile, I opted to do a search for the first time on April 5, 2021. For anyone in New York, here is the website I used to make a vaccine appointment: cdms2.health.ny.gov. For the past few years, I have been working as an essential worker on various MTA and Bridges & Tunnels projects so I qualify. After some extensive thinking about the vaccine, I opted to move forward with the vaccine process. In my thought process, perhaps I won't be as stressed out about getting the virus if I just go for the vaccine? I may have had some deep down fears, on a subconscious level, that I am not even aware of on the surface. I will admit, I have been rather fearful of this virus. This is especially true during the very start of the lockdown. The fear of the new and unknown. Despite this fear, I pushed through and kept going to work each day while most people I knew stayed home on lockdown. I have not used so much hand sanitizer nowadays than in my entire life! I inherited high blood pressure for the past few years. I must take this health issue into consideration as well. Ultimately, I moved forward and started searching for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine appointment. I kept refreshing the page repeatedly until I stumbled upon an appointment. To my surprise, the appointment was for the next day in less than 24 hours!! I didn't waste any time and made the appointment. I shared this nugget of good luck with some friends who got a hearty laugh out of it. My one friend said, "you are good with the computer. That is why you got the appointment so soon!" I got a kick out of sharing while being annoying and gloating over securing so swiftly my vaccine appointment. :P It is important to gather your documents to show proof of your age and address. I brought my proof to show that I am an essential worker as well. There was an extra health survey to complete in addition to the main health form. To my dismay, no one asked me for it. I felt like that was a complete waste of time. I had my barcode ready in my Adobe app to share, when required. I bring all my documentation and I get to the Jacob Javits Center about 42 minutes early. I took mass transit and tried to smoothly stroll from Penn Station to the Jacob Javits Center without raising my body temperature. I was fearful of power walking, sweating profusely, being told that my temperature was too high, and then ultimately denied entrance. There is nothing worse than an entire wasted trip!! While resting in the front entrance, I was amazed to see the level of new coverage all around the front entrance!! The news truck was across the street, with a photographer or two. On the same side of the street, in front of the entrance, several journalists with a camera crew were stalking people coming in and out of the front entrance. My only regrets are that I didn't dress up and wear make-up, or wear my Verbally Disastrous podcast promo shirt!! What was I thinking!?! Next time I will be better prepared! Wait! Hopefully, there is not a next time. I only have room for one global pandemic in my lifetime. Here is my #short YouTube video where I decide to film the people filming me from across the street along with my very brief yet sarcastic commentary: https://youtu.be/EVZA6iG5XGQ To my surprise, I didn't endure a temperature check once I was inside. Thank goodness the space was not too stuffy yet not too cool either. This polar bear in me prefers the coolness any day compared to the heat. After a little line, I get to a fella who quizzes me on the same questions that I had filled out the night before! What was the point of filling that out if I was just going to be quizzed again the next day!?! For goodness sake, they are rather simple questions. I am more convinced each day that there are many mindless folks that walk the planet. I then go stand in another line to get pricked by a woman with gloves and a smile at a table on the opposite side of the building. Her partner working the computer screen was as equally charming. I walked up to the duo of ladies and say, "I am so happy to be here!" They both start laughing then ask me if I am serious. I retort "of course not" in return. Between the three of us, we have a brief exchange about a wide variety of things-including the business at hand with precise instructions. Somehow we got on the subject of childhood spankings. Don't ask me how! LOL! I then respond with a memory of coming home from school, when I was in kindergarten, with a "permission to spank me" note. Of course, I let them know that my dad signed that thing right away and handed it back to me to give to my teacher. We were all laughing jointly while some other young woman stared at us in a solemn manner. There is nothing quite like infusing humor into an otherwise tense, stressful, and boring situation. We carried on for a moment speaking about different types of corporal punishment and being traumatized by beatings as a kid. Now it is time to get serious and get that shot in the arm. That needle delivered a mixed stinging and burning sensation toward the end of the vaccine. I then thank the ladies for their assistance, the laughs, and I am guided to the plastic chairs section. The goal is to sit in a plastic chair for 15 minutes while chugging a small bottle of water. This "time out" chair is intended to make sure we don't fall out as part of an allergic reaction. There is a big screen with a clock, a "thank you card" plastic board, and a piano in the "time out" section. Like the nerd that I am, I stayed for the entire 15 minutes then rolled out of the building like a boss. Here are some photos taken of the "time out" space:

The soreness on my arm faded in a few hours. I am fine with my choice to go for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Unlike the other options, I have to only go one time to get vaccinated and not two weeks apart like the other brands. The only thing that I sense is some sore and achy joints. I am unsure if that is my usual aches and pains or from the vaccine. I slept fine last night and woke up alive and okay. I sure hope my J&J vaccine review helps to ease your mind before you proceed with it yourself. I was initially hesitant on it since my faith in doctors is rather shaky. However, procedures happen a lot sooner when there is no bureaucratic red tape involved in the process. I figured I can't really get on my high horse about refusing to get the shot. This is considering I joined the military young and was hit with probably 20 vaccines at once in both of my arms during boot camp. Sometimes it is best to push the fears aside and just get it out of the way. Again, I hope this helps you in your process. I am certain that no matter where you are in the world, the process is pretty similar in nature. With all of the data in the world, I am truly honored that you chose my personal choice of jumbled letters. :) I wish you a peaceful Wednesday evening and the rest of the week! Cheers! Leslie M. Jasper -Author & Host of the #VerballyDisastrous podcast now alive on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Breaker, Deezer, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, Soundcloud, Spotify, and YouTube. I will announce more platforms very soon. -The Audio Blog: Verbally Disastrous Podcast & Construction Tales Blog. Now available on: Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Breaker, Deezer, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, and Spotify. I will announce more platforms very soon. #Soundtrap, #ConstructionTales, #audio, #intro, #fun, #hot, #mess, #creations, #Connecticut, #NewYork, #family, #foolery, #podcast, #Spotify, #VerballyDisastrous, #new, #topics, #howto, #secrets, #women, #powerful, #strong, #shorts, #men, #teen, #trynottolaugh, #edgy, #realistic, #explicit, #mature, #shocking, #thoughtprovoking, #fresh, #dark, #mustwatch, #Soundcloud, #YouTube, #Johnny, #creative, #IABX, #Reddit, #community, #Leslie@VerbDisastrous, #strongwomen, #womaninconstruction, #empower, #gender, #ICanDOIT, #femalerenovator, #renovation, #project, #womanconstructionproject, #strong, #slideshow, #2013Project, #learnbywatching, #girlpower, #sheetrock, #tape, #electrical, #plumbing, #tile, #dust, #dirt, #debris, #basement, #paint, #renovate, #insulation, #hihats, #wiring, #metalstuds, #screws, #workout, #Johnny, #promo, #videos, #creative, #sons, #discusswithmom, #topics, #Tom, #openconversation, #Johnny, episodes, #LotLizard, #AmazonPrime, #video, #documentary, #Netflix, #gorillaglue, #gorilla, #glue, #spray, #gorillagluewoman, #TessicaBrown, #hair, #hairsurgery, #LosAngeles, #DrObeng, #plasticsurgeon, #alcoholic, #drinks, #testing, #episodes, #release, #soon, #alcoholic #samples, #RevelStoke, #NewAmsterdam, #PinkWhitney, #WickedPickle, #BirdDog, #blackberry, #whiskey, #vodka, #99Bananas, #OleSmokey, #Tswoooh23_, #videogaming, #streaming, #OSHA502, #renewal, #trainthetrainer, #RIT, #Anchor, #Breaker, #GooglePodcasts, #PocketCasts, #RadioPublic, #article, #life, #apprentice, #ComedyCentral, #skit, #JessaReid, #ApplePodcasts, #Deezer, #Podchaser, #PodBean, #TuneIn, #Castbox, #PlayerFM, #iHeartRadio, #Stitcher, #Acast, #PodcastGang, #PodcastAddict #Scholastic #nonfiction #bookstagram #DropEverythingAndRead #SpringBookFair2021 #LoveOfReading #Reading #ConstructionTales #books #funny #NYC #podcast #Spotify #VerballyDisastrous #bookfair #bookjoy #ReadAnywhere #LoveToRead #AllForBooks #Adult #FBF21 #LBF21 #BEA21 #IKBF21 #KLF21 #HKTDC21 #GBF21 #IIBF21 #LATFOB21 #SIBF21 #FILBO21 #EIBF21 #BAIBF21 #MIBF21 #BIDLDSP21 #BS21 #BBF21 #HIBF21 #IBTAF21 #IBBF21 #ITEF21 #JLF21 #JIBF21 #LBF21 #NDWBF21 #TiBE21 #TIBF21 #BCBF21 #LIVREPARIS21 #SDLDM21 #HBF21 #FIL21 #IIBF21 #SBF21 #BuchWein21 #VIBF21 #ADIBF21 #AIPF21 #bookstagram #book #bukuislami #b #bukumurah #islamicbookfair #buku #booklover #bukusejarah #buchberlin #booklove #cher #bookshelf #internationalbookfair #bookholic #jualbuku #jualbukumurah #reading #obralbuku #bukuindie #bukujogja #tokobukumurah #buchmesse #langka #pasarbuku #bukulangka #bhfyp #jualbelibukuonline #onlineshop #jualanonline #booklovers #anresbooks #readingbooks #booksofinstagram #boekuitstalling #buch #bookish #buchberlinkids #tokobukuonline #boimela #lesen #bookworm #poetry #gontor #fbm #bazarbuku #bookreview #berlin #read #writer #berlinerbuchmesse #buchmesseberlin #author #instabooks #boekverkoping #virtualbookfair #bookaddict